Trying On a Few New Things
by PenAndInkPrincess
Summary: Elphie should never be left alone with fashion magazines and Galinda's clothes...


"This is ridiculous." Elphaba glowered at her reflection in Galinda's rhinestone-encrusted, floor length, pink mirror. But the green female's current ensemble looked even more ridiculous in her mind than the looking glass.

Galinda had gone out with a group of her friends, and after a thirty minute debate with much foot-stomping on Galinda's part and threats on Elphie's, the blonde had given up on dragging her roommate with her, much to aforementioned roommate's relief.

Elphaba, stretching out across her bed as she reclined, gently shut the novel she had just finished. Sighing, she rested her head on one hand. She glanced at the clock: 10:47 PM.

"Drat, the library will be closed by now." Elphie had almost finished her latest stack of novels, but Galinda's insistence that Elphie go shopping with her had prevented a trip to the library that afternoon.

She momentarily considered finding out if she could cast a spell to open the lock, but decided against it. She didn't want to get in trouble.

"Well, Elphaba Thropp, what will you do now?" Elphie, in her years of isolation from the majority of society had picked up a habit of talking to herself out loud, which Galinda liked to tease her for good-naturedly.

Her gaze fell on a stack of Galinda's magazines. The covers featured both fair- and darker-skinned girls wearing smiles. Her curiosity was piqued at these brightly-colored pages that could hold Galinda's interest for hours.

She walked over and snatched one off of the top, holding the issue away from her as though afraid it would bite her. She tentatively opened the front page and sat down on Galinda's bed.

Two hours later, and she was in a similar position, having gone through six issues and on her seventh. Another hour and she had finished them all. Her mind was rifling through all of the information she had gleaned from the magazines, and Galinda's closet caught her attention.

"Well…she's always saying I should copy what she does. She wouldn't mind if I just tried on a few things of hers, would she…?" Elphaba decided aloud that she wouldn't.

She opened the pink closet doors and peered inside. One color was dominant over it all: pink.

"Galinda says that pink goes good with green…" she muttered, as she grabbed a few things out.

And that's what found her where she currently was: in a fluffy pink bubble skirt that only reached the top-middle of her thigh, a tube top in a lighter shade of pink with magenta embroidery, and dark-pink, almost red, sparkly stilettos.

She had even tried on a hair-style and make-up tips she had read in the magazines. Her long, dark hair was pulled up into a swirly bun, with rhinestone clips. Like a three-year-old girl who just discovers her mother's make-up, Elphaba had smeared on just about everything.

Dark pink shadow was smeared up to her eyebrows, with mascara clumped on her eye lashes, and lipstick spread thickly on her lips. Blush, applied too heavily all over cheeks, made her look feverishly ill. She tried to smile, to imitate the girls on the magazines, but her make-up made her look as though she was grimacing.

She turned to walk to the bathroom and wash the paint off her face when, to her horror, the door burst open and Galinda walked in with a group of her friends, including Fiyero. Elphaba, frozen in dismay, just stood there. The group paused, and a loud silence developed.

It stayed that way for a few agonizing seconds before Fiyero began howling with laughter.

"Geez, Elphaba…it…it looks…it looks like Galinda's closet threw up on you!" Fiyero gasped out, sending the rest of them into spasms of laughter. All except for Galinda. She turned, shoving her friends out while saying, "I didn't notice how late it was! Good night!"

When she finally managed to herd them all out, she leaned against the door with a pitying look at Elphaba.

"Elphie-" she began. The green girl fled to the bathroom, slamming and then locking the door. She sank to the floor, sobbing.

"I'm so stupid!" She shouted. She continued to insult herself for a few more minutes, before Galinda knocked softly at the door.

"Elphie? You okay?" Elphie snorted, before responding sarcastically.

"Oh, I'm peachy! I've just embarrassed myself in front of your friends-some of the biggest gossips at school! I'm absolutely wonderful! And you?"

"Elphie, open the door."

"No."

"Elphaba. Thropp. Open. The. Door." This time, it wasn't a request, it was a command. Elphie, surprised at this side of her bubbly roommate, complied.

"Tsk, tsk, Elphie. Why is it when you FINALLY decide to act like a normal girl, I miss it?" Galinda whined as she wiped Elphie's art project make-up off. "We'll work together from now on, okay?"

At Elphie's curious look, she continued, gathering up a variety of make-up products and brushes.

"You handle the book smarts, and I'll handle the stuff that really matters." Elphie had to laugh at that. "Deal?"

"Deal."

"Okay, now let's make you pretty!" Galinda squealed before dashing to her closet and pulling out an armful of clothes.

After a long fashion show, Galinda made her sit before she continued with make-up and hair. Elphie was dozing off when Galinda finished.

"Take a look, take a look!" Galinda pushed Elphie towards the mirror, and the green girl's jaw dropped. For the first time, she didn't think she was ugly. For the first time, she felt beautiful.

Galinda had picked out a floor-length gown of deep blush, embroidered with gold roses. Subtle eye shadow of the same color adorned her eyes, and deep pink gloss was smoothed on her lips. Light blush was brushed over her cheekbones.

Galinda rested her head beside Elphie's on the girl's green shoulder, smiling.

"You look beautiful, Elphie!"

"I-I really do." Elphie smiled; she felt just as beautiful as any model in a magazine.


End file.
